There’s some validity to what Smith said there: A quarterback’s passing yardage is often dependent on the score of the game, and in most of the 49ers’ games last season they were protecting leads in the second half. That’s part of the reason that Smith ranked 27th in the NFL with 196.5 passing yards a game.

But then Panthers linebacker Jon Beasontook to Twitter with a valid point of his own. Beason told Smith to keep quiet about Newton, and he took a shot at Smith over the fact that the 49ers tried to sign Peyton Manning this year before settling on bringing Smith back.

Beason is blunt, but he has a point: The 49ers tried to sign Manning, and the Panthers didn’t try to sign Manning, and the reason for that is that the 49ers aren’t as confident that Smith is their long-term answer as the Panthers are that Newton is their long-term answer.

And when Smith says to Newton, “You’re not winning,” he seems to be suggesting that Newton is to blame for the Panthers’ 6-10 record last season, and that Smith himself deserves the credit for the 49ers’ 13-3 record. And that’s nonsense.

The reason the 49ers won more games than the Panthers last season was because the 49ers’ defense and special teams were better than the Panthers’ defense and special teams. It’s ridiculous for Smith to suggest that he did more for his team than Newton did for his team when the Panthers’ offense was better than the 49ers’ offense.

Smith did a fine job last season of playing not to lose by cutting down on his turnovers and avoiding mistakes on a team whose defense and special teams were among the best in the league. But Newton did an amazing job last season of arriving on the worst team in the NFL and instantly making it competitive. Beason is right: Smith shouldn’t compare himself to Newton.

Really Alex Smith??? or should I say Trent Dilfer 2.0. Only differnece San Fran won’t win a SB with him behind center. They can bring in all the receivers they want, Harbaugh still will run the ball 30 times a game because he doesnt believe in Smith

All alex was saying is that its a team sport and individual stats mean nothing. If.cam wouldn’t switch switch stats with alex if out meant his team winning games then he really isn’t a team player. Ill take a Superbowl ring over an Mvp trophy any day. This is a non story

at no point does smith “hate on cam.” he makes an argument that yards/game can be misleading because there’s a good chance it means a team has to air it out in the 2nd half of games to try to come back. it’s a totally valid point that beason totally whiffs on. maybe beason went on the offensive because his defensive teammates dropped the ball last season.

Cam Newton Accounted for 22 INt’s or Fumbles last year. Alex Smith only had 7. Alex Smith Accounted for 17 TD’s. Cam had 35. Cam has a +3 TD ratio. 4th quarter QB rating CAM was 67.1 Alex was 103.3. 3rd Down QB rating Alex was 87.6 Cam was 63.0. Cam rushed for a 1st down 31 percent of the time when he ran the ball on 3rd down. Alex rushed for a 1st down 89 percent of his 3rd down rushing attempts. I am a numbers guy. Draw your own conclusions. End of the Day I take CAM, but Alex had the better year last year. I imagine 5 years in Cam will make Alex look like a chump.

“There’s some validity to what Smith said there: A quarterback’s passing yardage is often dependent on the score of the game, and in most of the 49ers’ games last season they were protecting leads in the second half. That’s part of the reason that Smith ranked 27th in the NFL with 196.5 passing yards a game.”

If this makes sense then somebody explain to me Aaron Rodgers numbers last year because the Packers didn’t trail in the 4th quarter until week 13. Alex Smith is a serviceable QB. Players like him and Trent Dilfer need to stop thinking they are more than game managers.

yelix says:May 25, 2012 11:07 AM

Smith made great strides last year, and I think he’ll make more this year with that group of receivers and having the same OC for 2 years in a row. He never will be as flashy as Cam, and I think Cam will start winning more games this year, but it’s hard to discount what Smith did in that playoff game against the Saints. He made some wonderful throws in the clutch.

When Smith says “You’re not winning” he clearly means the team isn’t winning and that he prefers to win games than to just throw for 300yds. I’m sure Cam Newton does too. I’m also sure that if the game was in the bag in the 4th quarter due to the run-game, Newton wouldn’t be slinging the rock around the yard and wouldn’t be putting up gawdy passing numbers.

Smith’s point is that passing yards don’t equal wins. Besides Brady, Brees and Rodgers, all other QB’s have near .500 or worse records when throwing for 300+yds.

Beason took something out of context as an insult and then proceeded to hurl an actual insult at Smith.

pdxninerfan says:May 25, 2012 11:09 AM

Too much media…can’t people just talk anymore?

He’s comparing his stats to Newton’s stats. But of course you guys drill down to every word and look at it as a direct comparison, bitch-slapping, soon to be Twitter war fight brewing.

Nowhere does he say he is as good as Newton. He just picked a name that fit the example he was trying to highlight.

And I trust Alex is not stupid enough to even think that he’s as good as Cam. He clearly must only be talking about last year’s stats because in years prior, he obviously played from behind yet still only has thrown two 300 yard games his entire career.

bstone1992 says:May 25, 2012 11:09 AM

Beason’s right, but he needs to get back on the field and quit talking about how great he was 3 years ago.

Oh, Alex Smith “aging”? He’s 28 as of about 2 weeks ago, only 5 years older than Newton.

montsta says:May 25, 2012 11:11 AM

The Panthers lead most game in the 2nd half and 4th quarter, before our D and special teams constantly wet the bed. Alex Smith clearly didn’t watch a single one of them. His coaches think so highly of him that their gameplan in the NFCCG was for him to complete ONE pass to a WR. ONE. Let that sink in for a minute. And what do they do in the offseason? Load up on even more RB’s through the draft and free agency. Cam will have many more completions than Smith will attempts next season.

It was a mistake on Smith’s part to name drop a player but it’s pretty obvious he wasn’t trying to diss Newton or compare himself to him.

Remember he had the same attitude when it came to Brees during the playoffs when he basically said “Brees can throw for as many yards as he wants but I’d rather take the win.”

All Smith basically said was 300+ yard games doesn’t necessarily equal success and used Newton as an example of this case.

And while I agree Newton did more for his team than Smith did his I don’t think you should minimize what Smith did either. You can’t tell me only throwing for 5 INT all season isn’t helping your team or 6 4th quarter comebacks didn’t help either. You don’t go 13-3 and almost get to the Super Bowl solely on defense and special teams alone

I don’t think Alex smith was taking a shot at Newton personally, I just think he was saying you don’t need a gun slinging QB to win a Superbowl. That being said even after 1 season I think it’s safe to say Newton is by far the better QB when compared to Alex Smith. Hopefully Smith will improve even more for having the same offensive system for consecutive years for the first time in his career.

—————————————————
That’s a fair statement if Beason was on the field last year. The Panthers had a ton of defensive players on IR last year. I know everyone has injuries, but it did come off like Smith thought he was better than Cam. Alexis Smith is garbage. Even the 49ers know they were handicapped last year by him.

winkeroni says:May 25, 2012 11:13 AM

Alex Smith reminds me of a quaterback on the Panthers, Jimmy Clausen. Their rookie seasons were very similar.

Lol at Alex Smith. He’s lucky he doesn’t have to line up across from the Beast this year.

montsta says:May 25, 2012 11:14 AM

tennis22drew says:
May 25, 2012 11:00 AM
Great logic- the team signs one of the best ever and the previous guy gets cut. What do you think would happen to you if the Panthers signed Patrick Willis?

—-

You are missing the point. With having Beason and Newton, the Panthers wouldn’t ever even entertain signing Willis or Manning. That’s exactly what he is saying is the 9ers were happy to try and sign Manning because Alex Smith is useless and has given the 9ers a top ten pick for the past 6 years before last year.

Where in Smith’s comments was he comparing himself to Newton?
___________________________________

“I could absolutely care less on yards per game,” Smith said. “I think that is a totally overblown stat because if you’re losing games in the second half, guess what, you’re like the Carolina Panthers and you’re going no-huddle the entire second half. Yeah, Cam Newton threw for a lot of 300-yard games. That’s great. You’re not winning, though.”

Cam won you 6. Beason and the D lost you 10. Worry about rallying your D instead of defending your QB’s stats.

Not to say Beason isn’t a beast, just saying there’s more pressing issues on that team then defending Cam. He’s a big boy, let him defend himself while you worry about the rest of your group on the other side of the ball.

This article is ridiculous. There’s no way Alex Smith was blaming Cam Newton for the Panthers having a losing record last year, any more than he was trying to take all the credit for the Niners going 13-3 last year. Talk about trying to create a controversy where there is none.

tennis22drew says:
May 25, 2012 11:00 AM
‘Great logic- the team signs one of the best ever and the previous guy gets cut. What do you think would happen to you if the Panthers signed Patrick Willis?’

Really? Well, first of all, Willis is not one of the best ever. Peyton is.
Secondly, Beason is a 3-time Pro Bowler and an all-pro MLB unlike Smith, who has never sniffed the Pro Bowl and has one winning season on 6 career years. Not really seeing the logic here…

First of all, Smith is right. Would you rather be Dan Marino and have all the stats, or Eli or Ben and have 2 rings? Beason’s claim about Manning is laughable, since as has been pointed out, Carolina would kick his ass to the curb for Patrick Willis in a heartbeat. When a team can get a better player, they can.

Second, and Carolina fans can thumbs me down all they want, but Cam has had one good (not great) season. So did Derek Anderson, so did Scott Mitchell etc, etc. He’s not some stone cold HOF lock, or the next big thing. Take it from a Bucs fan who had everyone saying Freeman was the next big thing at QB this time last year. The potential is there, but he’s nowhere close yet.

I don’t believe Smith was firing away at Newton. seems to me like he was just defending his play. lets not forget Cam Newton did have what 17 or 19 picks with 9 DROPPED PICKS.

paulitik74 says:May 25, 2012 11:21 AM

Maybe Smith isn’t the best QB to be calling out anyone, but what he said is absolutely right. Passing Yards are by far the most overrated statistic in Football. Yes, QBs like Brees and Rodgers are great QBs, but their Defenses have been amongst the worst in the league in terms of giving up yards, It comes down to the points on the board.

The few games I watched Cam Newton, he’s fun to watch, but he hasn’t been able to close games out. Until he starts winning, he’s just a shiny gimmick.

ninerdynasty says:May 25, 2012 11:22 AM

im a niner fan and i can somewhat agree with beson.. the fact that Smith has mustard 3 300 games in 60 starts is pretty lame and even when the team was bad and they were playing from behind in just about every game he never was able to reach that stat..

How was Alex wrong? He showed up when he had to. With his only weapons were Vernon Davis & Frank Gore. Next season he will have proven receivers who will have something to prove. I also think it’s funny that the news from 49er OTA’s is saying that Crabtree looks impressive. I hope so, it’s year 3 and you have competition at WR. Time to put up or shut up.

Funny how 9ers fans are now defending Smith, when just two seasons ago they wanted him gone. Remember the “We want Carr chant?”

84sgl says:May 25, 2012 11:27 AM

Beason was injured all year, as well as a bunch of other defensive starters.

trollhammer20 says:May 25, 2012 11:27 AM

bayoubauer says:May 25, 2012 11:07 AM

Like any of these Niner fans wouldn’t have taken Manning over Smith. Beason was spot on.
________________________________

Dude, when Smith was visiting Miami, there were plenty of Niner fans saying “Who cares, let him leave, Kapaernick will be an upgrade.”

Smith is the least-liked 13-3 QB ever.

joejgibbs says:May 25, 2012 11:27 AM

Ha, yea the reason why the 49ers were 27th in passing is because they were protecting leads in the 4th quarter. The 49ers recipe for winning was to run the ball, play great defense and have Alex Smith make a throw every now and then to get a 1st down. He definitely looked like a serviceable QB as Harbaugh did a good job coaching him up but it was obvious that they didnt want Smith to do much. And when the chips were down and the 49ers HAD to throw the ball vs. the Giants, it was clear why. The same reason Harbaugh tried to get a new QB in the off season.

Maybe if Beason spent more time studying film instead of online media, his defense would keep Cam Newton from having to put them on his shoulders. I love how the media twists the context of benign player comments into criticism of other players.

brooklynniner19 says:May 25, 2012 11:29 AM

Patrick Willis makes Beason look like a special team specialist at best! Beason worry about yourself buddy.

billhicks666 says:
May 25, 2012 11:17 AM
This article is ridiculous. There’s no way Alex Smith was blaming Cam Newton for the Panthers having a losing record last year, any more than he was trying to take all the credit for the Niners going 13-3 last year. Talk about trying to create a controversy where there is none.
____________________________________
I agree with this comment. This is getting blown up way out of proportion. No he should not have mentioned Cam and Co like he did but he is still right. And Alex never stated he was better than Cam. That’s just ridiculous that anyone would even think that anyways. I believe that Peyton and Harbaugh would not have gotten along because Peyton has to be on a team where he can take over the offense just like when he was a Colt. We run our offense like the OC and Harbaugh wants us to and it works. However we will improve with our new offensive weapons during the offseason and Alex will have a chance to see if he will be able to pass better. He will get more passing yards next year and we will utilize the offense more. With our D already the best, we will just improve on all our stats from last year.

It’s amazing how arrogant Smith is after one season where he did the bare minimum to help his team win games an like six years of being wisely considered as one d the biggest wastes draft picks in league history.

And Beason needs to worry about being a good boy and stay outta trouble with strippers than talk crap when he doesn’t know what he’s even talking about.

mesta1 says:May 25, 2012 11:32 AM

I am pretty sure Cam already has more good seasons than Smith

oaktown49er says:May 25, 2012 11:33 AM

montsta says:May 25, 2012 11:14 AM
With having Beason and Newton, the Panthers wouldn’t ever even entertain signing Willis or Manning.
——————————————————–
Wouldn’t EVER EVEN ENTERTAIN signing Willis. I bet most Panther fans are glad you are not the GM.

Smith is right, Yards do not equal wins.
Beason is right, Maning > Smith.
Just for fun though we all know Willis > Beason but how far away are we from Bowman > Beason? Would Beason even start on the Niners?

sharks123 says:May 25, 2012 11:34 AM

billhicks666 is spot on. That said, I’m sure this is the last time Smith name drops. He didn’t have to. His point was correct.

First, you have to respect a guy like Jon Beason for stepping up for his teammate, regardless of the fact that he was completely off base with his comments.

Second, the author either completely missed the point of Smith’s comments or is auditioning for a gig as a talking head on ESPN. I’m leaning towards the latter.

Back to Beason. Quarterbacks that lead their team to the brink of the Superbowl, post 13-3 records, and throw for 17 touchdowns against 5 interceptions, do not get cut. Throw in the 5 touchdown against zero interception ratio in the playoffs and his point is moot. If Manning chose to sign with the 9ers, Smith would have either signed elswhere.

Newton had an incredible year, and no one (not even Alex Smith) is taking that away from him.

Making the valid point that he would take throwing for 200 yards and win, rather than 300 and lose isn’t comparing, it’s simply stating the facts.

manzoa says:May 25, 2012 11:37 AM

So Beason slams Smith because the 9ers tried to sign Manning…if Manning said he wanted to play for Carolina, then Newton would be nothing more than a tall backup QB for the next 2 or 3 years. In the new Arena NFL which is one step away from having QBs, WRs, and RBs wear flags instead of allowing tackling, 4000+ yards for a QB is the new normal. In a year or two, 5000 yards will be the norm. Better yardsticks for QBs will be wins and turnovers…..so Beason, button up because your not all that either…..must be at least 20 inside/middle LBs better than you.

Smith needs to hush up. Newton was a rookie who had an amazing year. While Smith has had a disproportionate amount of challenges that have hindered his development, he was lucky to be taken #1 and won’t have to worry about money for the rest of his life(unless he is a Sapp).

Secondly, people need to realize there is some truth to his statements. Perfect example is Dilfer vs. Garbage. Grbac is a much better quarterback, but if you don’t win it means nothing. Give Cam a few years and he should make Smith eat his words.

LoCoSu@%s says:May 25, 2012 11:44 AM

I sort of agree with Jon Beason, but I like the new brash Alex. Enough of his submissive behavior

There was no reason for Smith to even bring up Newton. He could have just said “it’s better to win games than to lose and get lots of passing yards” That would be fine. Since he did bring up Newton, it’s important to note that if the 49ers could get Newton, Smith would be out on his ass faster than you can say San Francisco.

49erstim says:May 25, 2012 11:58 AM

He is right. I didn’t interpret that as slamming Cam though. I think what he is trying to say was that too much was placed on Cam.. I’d agree with that. Bad defensive play and special teams contributed immensely to their struggles. Cam will be fine. I can’t see Alex throwing a rookie under the bus. The point is this: stats don’t mean $hiit!

Please Mr Beason, while I admire you defending your teammate it is hard to take you seriously when you do it via twitter… R u ok wit dat?? #twitterbeefisforGIRLS

alex smith would be irrelevant if it wasnt for the 49ers fantastic defense to even keep smith in the game.

beelicker says:May 25, 2012 12:17 PM

Not only would a team behind they get more snaps because of no-huddle, but opposing defense would mostly be playing off contain in prevent more allowing ‘easy’ completions & guarding against fluke break-aways for cheap scores & trying to tackle people in bounds so as to eat clock.

A prevent defense encourages giving up controlled yards to lesser scoring effect, plus the QB facing it understandably will take more risk in throwing in effort to score, which = more INT risk for that QB.

If my team was behind, especially waaaay behind, clearly my QB choice would be Newton over Smith. One score behind heading for the final gun that choice is not nearly so clear.

man yall 49ers fans get all butthurt quicklike… well you do live in San Francisco, I guess it makes sense.

Jon Beason will be the best linebacker in the game this year.

leeeroooyjeeenkiiins says:May 25, 2012 12:20 PM

This is perfect entertainment, because Alex Smith shouldn’t be talking smack and neither should anyone on Carolina’s defense. Time to break out the popcorn!

jason1980 says:May 25, 2012 12:26 PM

Beason needs to man up and stop whining, Peyton Manning would not have even considered coming to the Panthers, for the love of God. The Panthers could not have paid Manning enough money to come to Carolina. Newton needs to win games, and winning 6 games a season and talking trash seems a bit moronic to most of us.

I don’t want to be rude, but Beason would have a hard time making a spot on the Niner defense as a backup. The Niner second teamers are better than Beason. And, the two starters blow Beason off the field.

Alex Smith was asked a question about stats and answered with a completely reasonable response simply using Newton as the perfect example. He didn’t, in any way, denigrate Newton’s abilities. He didn’t diss Newton. In response, Beason dissed Smith. Who is Beason? He’s a second or third-rate linebacker on a bad defense who couldn’t play his way on to the Niner defense on his best day. That’s who he is.

All you people are sick. Alex Smith never dissed himself or said he was better than Newton. He was simply saying that stats dont tell the whole story. And for all you geniuses who keep raving about the 49ers defense and special teams, NEWS BREAK: We’ve had a great defense and special teams for years. That’s nothing new. Call him a game manager all you want, the guy just simply said that stats aren’t all that important. Because when the game was on the line, “Game Manager” Alex Smith threw touchdowns to beat the undefeated Lions, and the odds favorite Saints in the playoffs.

Stop trying to make this into a beef.

joejgibbs says:May 25, 2012 12:36 PM

Not sure why he even mentioned Newton. It comes across as sour grapes. Besides, B.C. (before Cam), the Panthers won 2 games.
With him they won 6.

pmars64 says:May 25, 2012 12:38 PM

Keep talking Alex. I like it. The more you talk, the less I like the Niners chances next year to win the SB. You got lucky against the Saints, but absolutely did not deliver against the Giants. Sure your receivers didn’t help, but you didn’t help them either. I see another playoff flame-out.

alex smith stated a fact whats wrong with that! newton threw for a ton of yards but his team didnt win much its the truth! and beason is jealous and quick to hate on the niners because he knows willis and even bowman r way better than him!!

“Not sure why he mentioned Newton??” Because someone asked him a question about stats and he used Newton’s performance last year as an example. It was perfectly appropriate because what happened with Newton was a great example of what Smith was trying to say.

And here’s something for all of you to chew on: Smith will have a better year this next season than Newton. He’s got a better o-line, a better group of runners, better tight ends and now he’s even got a legitimate group of receivers. He’s got a second year in the same quarterback-friendly system for the first time in his career and a few good coaches for a change. Jon Beason will be sitting at home watching Smith in the playoffs.

hendeeze says:May 25, 2012 12:52 PM

@lolb23 Smith is 8 months younger then Weeden…

Smith might not be a world beater but he is right in this case. According to football outsiders the Niners had the best starting field position in the league last year. This combined with protecting leads in the 4th lead to lower overall yards per game. That isnt to say that if this were not the case he would be able to pass for 300 and win. But if you look at the numbers from 2011 it fits logically with what he is saying.

Beason just has Newton’s back, and himself is not beyond calling someone out. (he cried about not making the probowl, and at one time called out his teammate Peppers) He should just stop talking provoked or otherwise.

pmars64 says:
May 25, 2012 12:38 PM
Keep talking Alex. I like it. The more you talk, the less I like the Niners chances next year to win the SB. You got lucky against the Saints, but absolutely did not deliver against the Giants. Sure your receivers didn’t help, but you didn’t help them either. I see another playoff flame-out.
____________________________________So what you are saying is you do see us going back to the playoffs? Thanks🙂

ninernation49 says:May 25, 2012 12:57 PM

Niner fan here! I like Alex as our QB, don’t think he will have any problems taking us to the NFC champ again, but honestly if Cam Newton was the Niners QB we would automatically be super bowl favorites this year and the next 3 at least. Plus we probably would have won number 6 last year. Not hating on Alex, but Cam has a dimension Alex will never have!

pmars64, maybe you can explain how a perfectly thrown dart in traffic right on the numbers with a few seconds to go in a game is “lucky.” Most people would call that “coming through in the clutch.”

And, you should know that most Niner fans feel that the more Smith swaggers, the better he looks. Most of us see his talking as a good sign for the coming season. He’s always needed attitude. And, even though this wasn’t really dissing Newton personally as some of you seem to think, it did show attitude. I predict that all of you fans who love to hate on Alex Smith are going to have to shut up and eat your words by the end of this next season.

southcakpanther says:May 25, 2012 12:58 PM

I think the fact that a 6 year vet is using the stats of a rookie QB to prove his worth speaks volumes about Cam. Keep it up Cam! Hate on haters.

rockbottom37 says:May 25, 2012 12:59 PM

I’m not a Panthers fan but Jon Beason makes a great point!

49erstim says:May 25, 2012 12:59 PM

Quick round of applause everybody to Mr “pilot2011” for the g@y reference. Happy now? Please be ignorant on your own time or have a grown up help you while posting. Thanks bud.

@pilot – man what you been smoking cause I want some… Beason is going to be the best LB of the year? You do know the NFL has Lewis, Urlacher, Lofton, Mayo and Willis still right?? Beason is a decent to good MLB but he isn’t great.

Someone also asked if Beason would even be on the 49ers. The answer is possibly, if he could beat out Tgood on special teams cause he would be 4th string otherwise

jayniner says:May 25, 2012 1:01 PM

While Smith has alway been a class act, he’ll have a lot to prove after making this comment….

Besides Beason, if you did your job, your offense wouldn’t have have to put up ridiculously high stats to keep you in games…

49ers1970 says:May 25, 2012 1:01 PM

I am a 49er fan and I do feel that Alex was wrong for calling another QB out. He could have made his point without naming names. Alex is coming across as a hater.

Cam threw the ball a lot because he had to with the Panthers team, not because he wanted to. When your team has a dominate defense and give the QB the ball on the 45 everytime is not hard to with games.

1) Smith is right for the most part. Newton is an excellent football player, but he had many mistakes that played into their losses.

2) You’re not an intelligent person if you can’t see that the 49ers saw an opportunity to grab an elite Hall of Fame QB with the salary cap space to do so. Why wouldn’t they want Peyton Manning? Players like him simply don’t hit the market, it was an opportunity they had to make a play on.

Horse says:May 25, 2012 1:08 PM

billb49 – I would like to know what facts you base your theory that Jon Beason a second or third rate linebacker in the NFL?

Since his rookie season of 2007, Beason has been a Pro Bowler 3 times (2008, 2009 and 2010) and an All-Pro twice (2008, 2009) before missing the ENTIRE 2011 season

….the season he didn’t play, that all the Niners fans seem to want to tell Beason to play better defense to get more than 6 wins.

joejgibbs says:May 25, 2012 1:12 PM

Alex Smith is a game managing QB. Defense and running game gives him a lead, David Akers kicks 4-5 fgs, Smith makes a few 1st down throws to maintain field position and keep the clocking running and the 49ers win 13-10. That is the recipe. Keep the ball out of his hands, and rely on the d and running game.

But when the chips are down and you have to throw, because playoff defenses are all good, you need ‘The Guy’ at QB. Smith is just ‘A guy’ at QB. You can only go so far with the game managing type of Qb.

For all of you slamming Alex Smith, the guy has a point. He wasn’t making fun of Cam Newton, or putting him down. He was simply stating that throwing for a bunch of yards doesn’t equate to wins. And it’s true. Smith didn’t say he was better than Newton, nor did he imply it.

When it comes down to it, quarterbacks in the NFL are judged by wins….regular season and playoffs wins, and finally Super Bowl wins. 5000 yards means nothing if you aren’t winning games.

49ers1970 says:May 25, 2012 1:15 PM

Alex should be comparing himself to A. Rogers because they came out the same year.

@m2karateman – When it comes down to it, quarterbacks in the NFL are judged by wins….regular season and playoffs wins, and finally Super Bowl wins. 5000 yards means nothing if you aren’t winning games.

———–
Yes, I agree with this, BUT when comparing what Alex Smith accomplished vs. what Cam Newton accomplished, I’d say that “Smith’s” 13 wins have more to do with the 49ers team as a whole which makes people raise an eyebrow at Smith’s point. It’s like he’s showcasing 13 wins as if he was the reason for those wins when the 49ers success is defensive related. All Smith basically has to do is not screw up.

Panthers led in the fourth quarter in 8 of their 10 losses.
Not sure where the misoncsptjon is coming from that Cam threw because they were down, but anyone no has said that is just a large neon sign to any informed reader that said person has no problem posting out of ignorance or sheer stupidity.

Cam threw because when he’s passing the ball, it increases the Panthers chances to win games, even with their superb running attack.

Oh and Alex, how many games did the Panthers lead in? They weren’t behind. YOU’RE A TOOL.

rswete says:May 25, 2012 1:24 PM

“And when Smith says to Newton, “You’re not winning,” he seems to be suggesting that Newton is to blame for the Panthers’ 6-10 record last season, and that Smith himself deserves the credit for the 49ers’ 13-3 record. And that’s nonsense.”……….. Ummm no, Alex Smith does not “seem” to suggest that Cam Newton is to blame. Alex Smith did not say “Cam Newton, you are not winning”. Alex Smith essentially made an “if-then” statement and used the Carolina Panthers as an example. If you are behind in the second half, then you must throw more. Alex is suggesting that when a team is behind, that team has to throw the ball more often. Throwing the ball more often leads to more yards passing.
What’s hard to grasp about that? Michael David Smith, “if” you slept through your college critical thinking class, “then” you might not comprehend basic sentence structure.
Micheal David Smith, are a reporter or are you a blogger? If you are a reporter, adding commentary such as this is ridiculous. You “seem” to misinterpret basic material presented to you. If you are a blogger, you are a glorified troll in a chat room, flaming on a grand scale. Based on my response and the responses of others, you “seem” to be doing a good job of it. Good day.

alex smith sounds like a petulant jerk. i’m sure his teammates on defense don’t appreciate his attitude. cam is guilty of what smith never could do: being worthy of a number 1 pick. alex smith finally has one season that isn’t terrible and now he’s calling out superstars? what a pathetic loser.

captainspangled says:
May 25, 2012 11:14 AM
Lol at Alex Smith. He’s lucky he doesn’t have to line up across from the Beast this year.
—-

I believe Alex practices with a two-headed monster in Willis and Bowman everyday…

grandpoopah says:May 25, 2012 1:35 PM

With Smith at QB, the 49ers are a top 10 team entering the season. With Newton at QB, they’d be an early Super Bowl favorite and a potential dynasty in the making. With Newton at QB, the Panthers are a below average, but improving team. With Smith at QB, the Panthers would be the doormat of the NFC.

rickrock6661982 says:May 25, 2012 1:36 PM

I have more faith in Timothy Tebow than Alex Smith

Oh yeah…I went THERE

xivraider says:May 25, 2012 1:37 PM

I don’t buy the whole down in the 2nd half argument at all😄
what about the first half?I would like to know cams & alex’s first half stats

and the only reason there protecting leads in the 2nd half is because alex smith is not a good QB that can score fast like the mannings,brees,rodgers,rivers,brady,carson palmer(yeah joking😄 but a hopeful joke XD)so they’d rather sit on a 3 point lead then let alex choke it away

the whole world know’s this
the fans
the team
the players
the coaches
alex
I mean what’s the one thing everyone said about the 49ers?as long as alex smith doesn’t completely choke the 49ers can win a lot of games with the”defense”

I don’t want to be rude, but Beason would have a hard time making a spot on the Niner defense as a backup. The Niner second teamers are better than Beason. And, the two starters blow Beason off the field.

Beason’s an all-pro. I’m pretty sure he would start on your team – which has won 1 playoff game in the past 10 years. C’mon – ur not that 85 Bears- u didn’t even win your own conference.

ilovefoolsball says:May 25, 2012 1:47 PM

I hope you enjoyed the luxury of flying under the radar last season Alex.

The same Alex Smith as a rookie who put a 1 td through the air with 11 int as a rookie and threw for 97YPG? This guy is comparing himself, to a rookie QB without any OTA, or meetings with his coaches and threw for 21Tds, 17int, and 253ypg. Alex Smith is stepping on egg shells, and is the clear weak link on a team loaded with talent.

demonspank says:May 25, 2012 1:59 PM

Hey Alex,

How about the Panthers trades you ATL and NO for your two toughest competitors (SEA.. and AZ I guess) and see if that affects your record at all.

I’m not a big Panthers fan, but attempting to drag down a rookie who had an amazing season to make yourself look better is pretty classless. Stand on your own merits.

Again Alex Smith is NOT comparing himself to Cam Newton or dissing him.

He basically said “stats are for losers” and he only brought up Newton not because he thinks Cam is a loser but to illustrate that gaudy stats doesn’t equal winning.

He simply shouldn’t have brought up Newton and made his point without bringing him up but his point still stands.

As much as we make fun of Dilfer do you honestly think he feels bad for winning that Super Bowl? Do you think any of the Ravens on that team care that Dilfer was the QB when they won it? Do Ravens fans care how the won the Super Bowl? In other words who cares how you get there and win it as long as you do win it.

Get off cams nuts you can throw for 500 yards a game but when you throw for as many int as you do TDS and you fumble all the time you will never win nothing. Cam is Vick 2.0 a little flash but will have nothing to show for it. I can’t wait for him to keep running that ball and he gets pop and bye bye season just like Vick

Beason is frustrated with not being able to train because of his injury recovery. As the enforcer on D, he’s sticking up for the team.
Alex named names, Alex gets told. Next time he should be more generic. It’s like he thinks he”s arrived as a franchise QB, lol.
Go Panthers!

Actually the reason the 49ers had that record is their division. The Panthers weren’t lucky enough to play the Seahawks, rams, and cardinals twice.

jers10 says:May 25, 2012 2:38 PM

Smith says to Newton, “You’re not winning,” he seems to be suggesting that Newton is to blame for the Panthers’ 6-10 record last season,

How in the world you came to this conclusion? Smith was simply saying that yardage is not a good indicator for Wins. He says you should look at team success more instead BECAUSE YOU SAID IT YOURSELF they were mostly protecting their lead instead of being behind and doing no huddle like Panthers. Media Hack

hookem6903 says:May 25, 2012 2:39 PM

“That’s part of the reason that Smith ranked 27th in the NFL with 196.5 passing yards a game.”

To all the Niner fans and to Alex Smith’s ridiculous points. Please tell me which team won the Superbowl last year and which teams won the last 10 Superbowls. Then continue with this “Stats don’t make wins” crap. Look at the Packers last year. You idiot Alice Smith. You don’t think Stats made the Packers 15-1???? What elite team ever wins without a stat driven QB.

Why did you even utter Newtons name in your asinine argument? Why not the ultimate stat padder who for a long time couldnt win a clutch game, Peyton Manning. You talk crap about Newton though, COWARD!

Alice’s first year that chump had 1 TD and 11 INTS. And the 49ers went 2-14 I believe. Ohh the irony. Now he wants to compare a Rookies season to his 7th season in the league????

P.S. the Panthers only trailed in the 4th quarter for a handful of their losses. The rest of the time they were up.

Cam will burn this league to the ground this year. Then we’ll see what stats will do.

Newton did more in his rookie season, then Smith did in his first six seasons. Hahahahahaha. Newton had a 4000 yard passing season. Alex hasn’t seen one of those. And never will.

mikeinsanfran says:May 25, 2012 2:57 PM

Alex Smith back to Beason: You wouldn’t start on our defense. You would be our 4th best LB after Willis, Bowman, and Aldon Smith. TRUTH BE TOLD!

japadacktle49 says:May 25, 2012 3:15 PM

The 49ers offered Smith a contract he tested free agency the 49ers then proceeded to test the market as-well by taking a look at Manning. Shut your pie hole Beason! And to who ever stated they would rather have Jon Beason over Patrick Willis that was a joke I take it?

You’re lucky your defense and special teams carried you as far as they did last year.

mrlynch33 says:May 25, 2012 3:41 PM

I can’t help but laugh at Beason here…searching for a fight much?! Alex wasn’t bashing Cam Newton…he was bashing Beason, the D and special teams. He is right too…when you have a good D and special teams and the best starting field position in football you dont need to have inflated passing yards, especially if u have a running game.

I can’t help but laugh at the Alex haters too. Do you realize he has never had a LEGIT #1 WR. The best he had was an immature Brandon Lloyd and over the hill Isaac Bruce before Crabtree. On top of terrible coaches and outdated offenses what can you realistically expect from a guy.

bringbacktheflex says:May 25, 2012 3:46 PM

Alex Smith is wrong. Newton did NOT throw for a lot of 300 yard games. He only had 3 games over 300 yards, all in the first 4 games. After that defenses started to gel (after the lockout) and Newton was running for his life.

Newton is the new Vick – a singing frog. Fall in love with his highlight reel, and wait for him to do anything resembling an NFL QB.

No question that SF is a talented team. It does help when you have a “healthy” team (SF#8 in adjusted games lost -38) vs. an “injured” team (Carolina #31 in AGL-104). A little good fortune never hurts. Strength of schedule also plays a small role. SF #30, Caroline #1.

citynative says:May 25, 2012 3:47 PM

@watermelon1 says:
May 25, 2012 2:32 PM
Actually the reason the 49ers had that record is their division. The Panthers weren’t lucky enough to play the Seahawks, rams, and cardinals twice.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Well The Panthers lost to the Cardinals and the Niners had just as many wins in the NFC South as Carolina did in 4 less games. By the way “Alice Smith” and the suspect Niners offense averaged 42 points a game versus NFC South defenses. Also, the Niners went 4-1 vs. playoff teams in the regular season.

But hey, don’t let the facts get in the way of your argument.

mrlynch33 says:May 25, 2012 3:49 PM

ju302225 says: May 25, 2012 2:01 PM

Didnt the 49ers lose to the 2-14 panthers back in 2010? With Alex Smith at qb?

——-

Not all 4 quarters…Smith got injured and David Carr took over and blew it.

pantherpro says:May 25, 2012 3:50 PM

Panthers and Niners in the NFC Championship game this year! Beason against Willis! Cam against Alex! Rednecks for Romney against Nor Cal for Obama! Bring in on! Alex you have the stones but Cam is about to win the MVP! We know you didnt mean to disrespect Cam. Good luck to all these studs!

“Lol at any Niner fan thinking the Panthers would go out of their way for Willia when they have Beason.

Need to stop overrating Willis.”

You can laugh at Niners fans all you want; they, and everybody else, will laugh at you for actually thinking that Beason is anywhere near the LB that Patrick Willis is. You’re either a blindly loyal Carolina fan or a poser who never actually watches any NFL games.

Let’s be real here. This whole “controversy” started because Jon Beason is too stupid to understand what Alex Smith was really saying. And judging by a lot of the comments on here, he’s not the only one.

For all of you on here talking about Peyton Manning..its Peyton not to be confused with Sean Payton. Why can’t people get that right?? Peyton = Best QB in the League/Payton=Suspended Coach of the Saints for a year.

barkzine says:May 25, 2012 4:24 PM

billb49 says:
May 25, 2012 12:06 PM
There’s really only one thing to say to Beason and all of you bitter Panthers fans:

Again, there isn’t a linebacker on the Panthers, including Beason, who could crack the starting lineup on the Niners defense. The Niners have at least four linebackers who are better than Beason.

And to all of you idiots who think the Niners were a fluke, let me remind you that they got their 14-3 record with no off season, a new system and almost no receiving corp. Now, they have the second year with the same system, a full off-season, a deeply talented receiving corp, more explosiveness in their running backs, and a returning in-tact O-line. And, they still have the best D in the league, the best special teams in the league and the Coach of the Year.

Add to that the fact that Alex Smith has been working with the same guy Drew Brees works with every year on his mechanics and he’s developed a chip on his shoulder. By the end of the season, niner haters are just going to have to shut the hell up because the Niners are back and they’re going to be back for a while.

totallydisgusted says:May 25, 2012 4:48 PM

Alex Smith you are San Frans weakness! Humble yourself bc your team went 13-3 in spite of you.

No barkzine, I’m referring to the season scoreboard that says 14-3 versus 6-10.

And, if you watched the game and you’re not a fool, you know damn good and well that the Giants were incredibly lucky to get out of SF with a win. Give them their credit. They won fair and square, but there isn’t a player on the Giants that thinks they didn’t get lucky that day.

You just made the case for Dan Marino > Joe Montana, and probably didn’t even realize it!

discosucs2005 says:May 25, 2012 10:32 PM

As a 49er fan who loves Joe Montana, and Alex Smith, Dan Marino and Cam Newton are their respective betters. Championships are decided by a team, as are wins and losses.

I understand Alex Smith’s frustration completely. All career he’s faced ridicule for things often out of his control. When he finally did win games, he still found himself being criticized for not doing it with good enough numbers.

Alex Smith deserves credit for doing what he needed to do very well last year, and all 49er fans are hoping he can repeat that success or even improve this year.

But only the most absurd and delusional person would take Alex Smith (or Andy Dalton) over Cam Newton.

oaktown49er says:May 26, 2012 1:43 AM

citynative says:May 25, 2012 3:47 PM

@watermelon1 says:
May 25, 2012 2:32 PM
Actually the reason the 49ers had that record is their division. The Panthers weren’t lucky enough to play the Seahawks, rams, and cardinals twice.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Well The Panthers lost to the Cardinals and the Niners had just as many wins in the NFC South as Carolina did in 4 less games. By the way “Alice Smith” and the suspect Niners offense averaged 42 points a game versus NFC South defenses. Also, the Niners went 4-1 vs. playoff teams in the regular season.

But hey, don’t let the facts get in the way of your argument.
———————————————————-
LOL, I have never seen anyone so completely dominated by words (and facts)… by the way the Niners won 9 games OUTSIDE of the division. Props to you citynative

cam is for now over rated with his superman td celebration he is saying it is all me,SUPERMAN,he needs to win first before saying its all me superman!
Beason is an idiot if that is what you get out of smiths quotes !

Alex Smith isn’t fit to carry Cam Newton’s jock. If Newton had the team around him that Smith had the Niners would have gone to the Super Bowl and probably won. Look out for the Panthers this year, they’re going to be tough to beat.

woodsidegil says:
May 25, 2012 11:02 AM
Where in Smith’s comments was he comparing himself to Newton? He simply stated that statistics don’t necessarily equate to winning games.

The first time I ever see MDS actually talking in an article, and he’s all emotional over something I don’t think actually exists or something I don’t think was actually said. Way To Go, MDS. Why don’t you actually talk and have something to say in your Other long articles? I feel cheated.

njsteeler says:May 27, 2012 4:13 PM

Alex was correct until he mentioned another man’s name. We are not commenting on this if he just made his point without saying a word about Newton. That’s where he messed up, because the truth of the matter is that his own team, the one he led to a 13-3 record inquired about the availability of Peyton Manning before offering him a new deal. He better hope that he can take advantage of the new weapons that he has, because at this point the man he spoke of has way more job security than he does.

I think what beason is trying to say is that, it takes more than a QB to be successful.

49ers – Good defense, Good special teams.

Panther – not very good defense, Not very good sepecial teams

Smith versus Newton = Newton is the better guy.

If Newton were with the 49ers, the 49ers would have won MAYBE all there games.

Just dont think Alex Smith should have made that comparison, he should have just said, hey if Trent Dilfer can do it, so can I.

achamarro1 says:May 30, 2012 9:29 PM

Wow. Thats a stretch. Reading between the lines much. Smith has a point and you turn that into him meaning that cam was the reason the panthers were losing and smith was the reason the 9ers were winning. More like the 9ers were winnin in spite of there qb and the panthers were losing in spite of there qb.